Tuesday, 26 July 2016

Talk
about a monster. 13 albums across 15 CDs (2 are Deluxe Edition doubles), more
unreleased tracks than you can shake a wobbly stick at – a chunky 40-page
booklet that literally gives track-by-track annotation - dinky facsimile 5”
card sleeves – blindingly good remastered sound - and all of it for under
twenty five quid!

Even
the first 10 CDs reflect the “360 STEREO Sound” red Columbia labels that came
with original American LPs - while the last three are the plain red variant –
nice attention to detail. And apart from the very downward slope of the early
Seventies sets - the music is pretty much sublime throughout. So here are the
musical highs and lows of these American feathery troubadours…

Released
November 2011 – "The Complete Columbia Albums Collection" by THE BYRDS on
Sony/Columbia/Legacy 88697873802 (Barcode is the same) is a 15CD Box Set with a
40-Page Booklet and breaks down as follows:

Disc
1 “Mr. Tambourine Man” in a single sleeve (45:40 minutes):

1.
Mr. Tambourine Man

2.
I Feel A Whole Lot Better

3.
Spanish Harlem Incident

4.
You Won’t Have To Cry

5.
Here Without You

6.
The Bells Of Rhymney

7.
All I Really Want To Do [Side 2]

8.
I Knew I’d Want You

9.
It’s No Use

10.
Don’t Doubt Yourself, Babe

11.
Chimes Of Freedom

12.
We’ll Meet Again

Tracks
1 to 12 are the debut LP “Mr. Tambourine Man” – released June 1965 in the USA
on Columbia CL 2372 (Mono) and CS 9172 (Stereo) and August 1965 in the UK on
CBS Records BPG 62571 (Mono) and CBS S BPG 62571 (Stereo). The Stereo Mix is
Used and Stereo Album Artwork for the repro 5” sleeve. This is the same for all
discs listed below…

BONUS
TRACKS (1996 CD):

13.
She Has A Way (Previously Unissued Version with Alternate Vocal Track/Take 2)

14.
I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better Way (Previously Unissued Version with Alternate
Lead Guitar Overdub)

15.
It’s No Use (Previously Unissued Version with Alternate Lead Guitar Overdub)

16.
You Won’t Have To Cry Way (Previously Unissued Version with Alternate Vocal
Track/Take 2)

17.
All I Really Want To Do – Mono 7” Single Version (A-side of USA 45 on Columbia
4-43332)

Tracks
1 to 11 are the LP “Turn! Turn! Turn!” – released December 1965 in the USA on
Columbia CL 2454 (Mono) and CS 9254 (Stereo) and March 1966 in the UK on CBS
Records BPG 62652 (Mono) and S BPG 62652 (Stereo). Stereo Mix used

BONUS
TRACKS (1996 CD):

12.
The Day Walk (Never Before) – Previously released on 1990 4CD Box Set “The
Byrds”

13.
She Don’t Care About Time – Mono 7” Single Version (Non-Album B-side to “Turn!
Turn! Turn!” USA 45 on Columbia 4-43424)

14.
The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Previously Unreleased Version 1/Take 1

Tracks
1 to 11 are the album “Fifth Dimension” – released August 1966 in the USA on
Columbia CL 2549 (Mono) and CS 9349 (Stereo) and September 1966 in the UK on
CBS Records BPG 62783 (Mono) and S BPG 62783 (Stereo). Stereo Mix used.

BONUS
TRACKS (1996 CD):

12.
Why – Mono 7” Single Version (Non-Album B-side to “Eight Miles High” – a US 45
on Columbia 4-43578)

14.
Psychodrama City - Previously released on 1990 4CD Box Set “The Byrds”

15.
Eight Miles High - Previously released on the 1987 American compilation “Never
Before” on Murray Hill Records

16.
Why – as per 15

17.
John Riley – Instrumental Version 1

Disc
4 “Younger Than Yesterday” in a single repro sleeve (47:35 minutes):

1.
So You Want To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star

2.
Have You Seen Her Face

3.
C.T.A. – 102

4.
Renaissance Fair

5.
Time Between

6.
Everybody’s Been Burned

7.
Thoughts And Words [Side 2]

8.
Mind Gardens

9.
My Back Pages

10.
The Girl With No Name

11.
Why

Tracks
1 to 11 are the album “Younger Than Yesterday” – released March 1967 in the USA
on Columbia CL 2642 (Mono) and CS 9442 (Stereo) and April 1967 in the UK on CBS
Records BPG 62988 (Mono) and S BPG 62988 (Stereo). Stereo Mix used.

BONUS
TRACKS (1996 CD):

12.
It Happens Each Day – David Crosby song Previously released on 1990 4CD Box Set
“The Byrds”

13.
Don’t Make Waves – Mono 7” Single Version (Non-Album B-side to “Have You Seen
Her Face” – a US 45 on Columbia 4-44157. Also non-album B-side to the UK 45 of
“Lady Friend” on CBS 2924 in September 1967)

Tracks
1 to 11 are the album “The Notorious Byrd Brothers” – released January 1968 in
the USA on Columbia CL 2775 (Mono) and CS 9575 (Stereo) and April 1968 in the
UK on CBS Records BPG 63169 (mono) and S BPG 63169 (Stereo). Stereo Mix used.

Tracks
1 to 16 are the DOUBLE ALBUM “(Untitled)” – released October 1970 in the USA on
Columbia G 30127 and November 1970 in the UK on CBS Records S 66253. Sides 1
& 2 of the double-album are ‘live’ – Sides 3 & 4 are studio tracks. The
Bonus CD is a mixture of both as noted below…

Tracks
1 to 11 are the album “Farther Along” – released December 1971 in the USA on
Columbia KC 31050 and January 1972 in the UK on CBS Records S 64676

BONUS
TRACKS (2000 CD):

12.
Lost My Drivin’ Wheel – Previously Unreleased

13.
Born To Rock And Roll – Previously Unreleased Roger McGuinn song

14.
Bag Full Of Money - Previously Unreleased Roger McGuinn song

Like
the SIMON & GARFUNKEL and ELVIS PRESLEY catalogues – THE BYRDS have had the
magic touch of remaster/remix engineer VIC ANESINI. I’ve sung his praises many
times before (Hall & Oates, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jayhawks to name but a
few) – and yet again – the STEREO quality on these recordings is gorgeous. When
you get to the fabulous “Younger Than Yesterday” album with nuggets like “Goin’
Back” and “Draft Morning” – the sonic power of the remaster combined with the
beauty of the tunes is a pretty overwhelming thing. To hear their beautiful
version of Dylan’s “My Back Pages” sound this good is a joy.

And
while there are tracks like “Glory, Glory” and “Pale Blue” on “Byrdmaniax” –
I’d prefer “Just A Season” from the underrated “Untitled” double and “Get Down
Your Line” from the patchy “Farther Along”. Also check out the David Crosby
outtake “It Happens Each Day” from late 1966 which first appeared on the 1990
4CD retrospective “The Byrds” – unbelievably good. The Gram Parsons outtakes on
“Sweetheart Of The Rodeo” are amazing too. And of course throughout the
duration is the guiding hand and voices of GENE CLARK and ROGER McGUINN –
pumping out singles like “I Feel A Whole Lot Better”, “Eight Miles High” and
“it Won’t Be Wrong”.

"...I
opened my heart to the whole universe…and found it was loving…" - Roger McGuinn sings
on "5D (Fifth Dimension)".

Open your soft machine to this groovy BYRDS box set
and I’m sure you’ll be feeling the love decades from now…

SOME OF MY E-BOOKS FOR SALE on AMAZON

About Me

To date I've over 3500 posts/reviews and 80+ Listmania Lists on Amazon UK - most are for quality music CD REMASTERS and FILMS on BLU RAY.

I'm a Top 15 Reviewer on Amazon UK and have been a 'Hall Of Fame' Reviewer for some years now...

They feature recommendations from years of trawling through digipaks and flicks. I tend to highlight reissues and remasters that have slipped through the net and movies on DVD and BLU RAY that deserve your attention/reappraisal.

My music reviews are in-depth - focusing on decent remasters - interesting imports - rarities - info that helps a purchase decision etc. And I often provide a Discography for Box Sets and multiples and detailed track lists for reissues.

Loved the awesome re-issues of Steve McQueen by PREFAB SPROUT and Strangers Almanac by WHISKEYTOWN [with Ryan Adams]. The three definitive Bear Family Series - Street Corner Symphonies (1934 to 1958 Vocal Groups), Blowing The Fuse (1945 to 1960 R'n'B - most reviewed) and Sweet Soul Music (1961 to 1975 - all 15 reviewed).

Check out the beautiful Scottish Folk of Black Water by KRIS DREVER (2006) and the Sahara rocking beat of TINARIWEN'S Aman Iman - Water Is Life. 2011 saw Jethro Tull's Aqualung receive a stunning makeover by Steve Wilson of Porcupine Tree and 2012 has Just As I Am by Bill Withers be given a top remaster by Big Break Records of the UK. Loving the 2013 Japanese SHM-CD reissues of J.J. Cale and the 2012 to 2015 Japan-Only Atlantic 1000: Best R&B Collection (see Joe Turner reviews). Small Faces Here Come The Nice and The Blue Nile's Hats & Peace At Last Deluxe Editions for 2014. Digging Edsel's 4CD Box Sets For The Beat and The Sound - superb. Edsel's Wilson Pickett and Percy Sledge CD Reissues from late 2016 are also superb.

Films - The Help, Lincoln, The Bands Visit, Man On A Ledge, The Grey, Mr. Nobody, Third Star, Caramel, Easy-A, Crash, United 93, The Insider, Death To Smoochy, Babel, Kinsey, Bright Star, Stranger Than Fiction, Imagine Me & You, The Namesake, After The Wedding, Seraphim Falls, Michael Clayton, Frankie Go Boom, Infamous, Gran Torino, The Blind Side, Invictus, Crazy Heart, Ondine, Amelie, Four Lions, Young Victoria, Untouchable, Jo Nesbo's Headhunters and The Secret In Their Eyes are what's most impressed in the last while. The Shawshank Redemption is for me the greatest film ever made, Cinema Paradiso the most beautiful and Nil By Mouth the most powerful.

I've also raved about gorgeous new restorations of The Italian Job, Goldfinger, African Queen, Back To The Future, O Brother Where Art Thou?, North By Northwest, To Catch A Thief, To Kill A Mockingbird and The Sting on Blu Ray - can't recommend these enough.

I'm Irish (originally from Dublin) and married with 3 grown-up kids - one of which has autism (The Beautiful Dean).

I was a vinyl rarities buyer and put-upon expert in Reckless Records (Soho, London) for over 20 years and have contributed to many of the Record Collector Rare Record Price Guides.

Currently freelance writer/reviewer. Have written four screenplays - "The Cloths Of Heaven", "Silas", "An English Lady - The Eglantyne Jebb Story" and "Full Of Grace" which I'll discuss with Film Industry Insiders.